Picoides tridactylus
Within most mature coniferous forests, evidence of this woodpecker's foraging activities is seen more commonly than the bird itself. In their search for insect eggs and invertebrates, Three-toed Woodpeckers flake off bits of bark from old, dying coniferous trees, exposing the lower, red surface of the trunk. After years of serving as forage sites, the trees take on a reddish look and are skirted with bark chips. Most woodpeckers do not randomly forage for their meals; instead, they often listen for grubs under the bark and in the wood. The Rocky Mountain race of the Three-toed Woodpecker has a back that is nearly all white. The Three-toed Woodpecker and the Black-backed Woodpecker both have three toes rather than four. |
I.D.: General: black-and-white barring down the center of the back; white underparts; black barring on the sides; predominantly black head with 2 white stripes; black tail with white outer tail feathers. Male: yellow crown. Female: black crown with occasional white spotting. Size: L 8-9 in. (21-24 cm). Range: uncommon in the Canadian Rockies and the northern and central U.S. Rockies; rare in Rocky Mountain NP. Habitat: spruce and fir forests, disturbed areas, avalanche slopes and burns in the montane and the subalpine. Nesting: excavates a cavity in a dead or dying conifer trunk; excavation may take up to 12 days; pair incubates 4 eggs for up to 2 weeks. Feeding: gleans under bark flakes for larval and adult wood-boring insects; occasionally eats berries. Voice: call is a low pik; drumming is a prolonged series of steady bursts. Similar Species: Black-backed Woodpecker: solid black back. Hairy Woodpecker: clean white back; lacks the barring on the sides. |
